Speakup Blog - page 1

Firsthand AAC Perspectives

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*Views and opinions expressed by authors of SpeakUp! blogs are their own and do not reflect official views and opinions of USSAAC.

The Importance of Communication: A Personal Journey

May 21, 2025

My name is Esther Klang. I live in Brooklyn, NY, and I am a 30-year-old woman who has faced numerous significant challenges since becoming a quadriplegic with shallow breathing, a tracheostomy, and vocal cord paralysis. This results in me having nonstandard speech and having...

AAC Peer Support Models

June 3, 2024

by Bob Williams

Bob Williams and Lateef McLeod describe an initiative on peer support models for people who use AAC

Grief & Communication

June 2, 2024

by Mike Hipple

Mike Hipple shares his personal story of realizing how grief affects his communication and recommendations for professionals on how to support people who use AAC with grief and loss.

Reflections on ISAAC Conference – Cancún

November 27, 2023

by Ben Gibbs

Ben Gibbs, a person that uses AAC, shares their experiences at ISAAC Conference - Cancún

Photograph of Mike Hipple's high school, Appleton West High School based in Appleton, Wisconsin.

November 2, 2023

by Mike Hipple

Mike Hipple shares his suggestion for making homecoming week events in high school accessible to people who use AAC.

SpeakUp! & AACT: Thanh Diep on SGD Funding Experiences

September 11, 2023

by Thanh Diep, edited by Deirdre Galvin-McLaughlin

Thanh Diep shares all about her personal experiences as a person who uses AAC with insurance funding a new speech-generating device (SGD).

How Does That Make You Feel? Examining Emotional Effects of AAC Usage

August 14, 2023

by Meggin Nunamaker

Meggin Nunamaker describes the Emotional Effects of using an AAC system as a person who uses AAC.

Image about Speak Up! & AACT: Mateo Moreno on Teaching Kids about AAC

July 14, 2023

Mateo Moreno shares his experience of sharing his story as a person who uses AAC with children to raise awareness about all the ways people communicate.